Marine engine with remotely located electrical components

ABSTRACT

In a motor driven water craft having an engine compartment in which an internal combustion engine is located, the electrical components for the engine such as the starter, generator and ignition controlling distributor, are remotely located from the engine and are located externally of the engine compartment. The external location of the electrical components eliminates the possibility of the ignition system causing an explosion of combustible fumes within the engine compartment.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,910,220

Corson Oct. 7, 1975 1 MARINE ENGINE WITH REMOTELY 3,789,231 1/1974 Hayden 307/9 LOCATED ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix I t .R. [76] men or 53222 R NO 1 Luther Asszstant ExammerStuart M. Goldstem Attorney, Agent, or FirmPrice, Heneveld, Huizenga [22] Filed: June 10, 1974 & Cooper [21] Appl. No.: 477,799

[57] ABSTRACT 52 U.S. Cl. 115/.5 R; 114/211 a Wale? craft having F F P' [51] Int. Cl. B63J 2/00 partment m whlch mtemal combusuon engme 58 Field of Search 114/211, .5 R; 307/9, 10; Ocated, the electrical f 115/5 R; 123/198 D 198 E 179 R, 179 D; as the starter, generator and 1gn1t1on controllmg d1s- 98/1; 290/37 38 tr1butor, are remotely located from the engme and are located externally of the engine compartment. The ex- [56] References Cited tfirnal locgation (2f tlhe electrical components eliminates UNITED STATES PATENTS t e 130581 1 lty 0 t e 1gn1t1on sy stem caus ng an exp 0- s1on of combust1ble fumes w1th1n the engme compart- 3,315,584 4/1967 Ranst 114/211 mem 3,652,868 3/l972 Hunt 307/9 3,675,034 7/1972 Abplanalp et al. 114/211 10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 1 88 3O 32 I00 1' I I 38 36 11 44 92 I ,22 103 0 46 f n r1 62 9 7 7 86 348 1:

Ill/Ill, III) //l 7O 60- se 55 68 MARINE ENGINE WITH REMOTELY LOCATED ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The confinement of an engine to a closed compartment in a motorboat creates the problem that accumulated combustible fumes in the engine compartment can possibly result in an explosion capable of destroying the boat and everything on it. Typically, in the operation of a motorboat, it is required that accumulated fumes in the engine compartment be completely exhausted therefrom prior to the connection of the power supply to the ignition circuit and the subsequent starting and operation of the engine. The conventional approach to this problem includes reliance on the operator to remember to vent the compartment prior to ignition. This approach, however, is dangerous, due not only to the fallibility and forgetfulness of human operators but in addition because of the reluctance on the part of the operator to wait the additional few minutes for the blower to remove the accumulated fumes in the engine compartment.

Various ignition control systems have been proposed to prevent the starting of the engine until after it has been determined that fumes no longer exist in the engine compartment. Typical examples of such systems are shown in my prior U.S. Pats. No. 3,662,727 issued May I6, 1972 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,034 issued July 4, 1972 entitled BLOCKING CIRCUIT FOR IN- BOARD ENGINE IGNITION. In the arrangements shown in these patents a blocking circuit is provided in combination with an inboard motorboat engine, blower, and ignition circuit to prevent actuation of the ignition circuit until after the blower in the engine compartment has operated for a pre-determined period of time to completely ventilate the engine compartment. While these and other such systems have been successfully utilized on inboard motorboats it is necessary to wait a period of time before the engine can be started. If the blower should fail to operate or if any override switch is used, the possibility of an explosion still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in inboard motorboats wherein potentially explosioncausing electrical components associated with the engine are remotely located externally of the engine cornpartment. More specifically the present invention improves upon motorboats having an engine compartment enclosing an internal combustion engine.

The improvement of the invention includes the remote location of the battery starter, generator, and ignition controlling distributor from the engine and externally of the engine compartment. Means are provided for operatively connecting these electrical components for operation with the engine at the remote location such that operation of the starter, generator and distributor cannot cause an explosion within the compartment. The connecting means includes a plurality of shaft means connected to the engine and extending therefrom through the engine compartment and to the exterior thereof where they are connected to the starter, generator and distributor.

The many objects, advantages, and other aspects of this invention will be readily understood by those that are skilled in the art upon reading the following specification with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an inboard motorboat incorporating the invention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged somewhat schematic view illustrating portions of the engine compartment, the engine and the mounting and connection of the ignition components externally of the engine compartment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings a generally conventional motorboat 10 is illustrated having an internal combustion engine 12 mounted therein within a generally closed engine compartment 14. Engine 12 drives a propeller 16 through suitable gearing and a drive line 18 in a conventional manner. A secondary compartment or housing 20 is positioned adjacent engine compartment 14 to house the remotely located electrical components generally designated by the numeral 22, conventionally associated with an internal combustion engine.

Referring to FIG. 2, engine compartment 14 generally completely encloses engine 12 therein and is equipped with suitable openings 24 such that combustible fumes can be vented therefrom by means of a blower fan 26.

Secondary compartment 20, or housing, is preferably positioned adjacent the engine compartment on the first open deck area of the boat. The electrical components 22 contained therein may include all of the electrical components commonly associated with an internal combustion engine except the spark plugs. As illustrated in the drawing, the electrical components include a battery 28, a generator or alternator 30, a voltage regulator 32, a distributor 34, the ignition coil 36, and a starter motor 38. These components are electrically interconnected by suitable wiring and to an ignition switch (not shown) located on the bridge 40 in a conventional manner well known to those skilled in the art.

The individual spark plugs 42 associated with each of the cylinders in engine 12 are connected by means of spark plug wires 44 to the cap portion 46 of distributor 34. Spark plugs 42 and the spark plug wiring 44 are covered with a heavy insulating material 48 as a shielded sleeve and grounded in a manner so as to completely eliminate all possibility of sparks occurring within the engine compartment. Spark plug wires 44 may additionally be enclosed in a heat resistant plastic like tubing and the wires may be color coded for ease of identification when making the connections between spark plugs 42 and the terminals in distributor cap 46.

The engine is equipped with a cam shaft 50 and a crank shaft 52 operable in 'a conventional manner with operation of the engine. Distributor 34 is equipped with an elongated distributor shaft 54 extending from secondary compartment 20 through a top wall 56 of the engine compartment where it is connected at its lower end to engine 12 by a distributor drive gear 58 in mesh with a gear 60 formed on cam shaft 50. Rotation of cam shaft causes rotation of shaft 54 through gears 58 and 60 with a corresponding rotation of a distributor cam and rotor (not shown) within distributor 34 in a conventional manner to send electrical. impulses to spark plugs 42 in a timed relationship. Distributor shaft 54 passes through a sealed bearing 62 at wall 56. Bearing 62 may be of any conventional construction however, to avoid leakage of combustible fumes, sealing means are provided within the bearing. Alternately, a separate seal about shaft 54 or a stuffing box (not shown) may be utilized. A flexible shaft having an outer housing may also be utilized, and bearing 62 may be eliminated.

Crank shaft 52 includes an output end 64 which is connected to drive line 18 to turn propeller 16. The opposite end of crank shaft 52 extends outwardly from the engine and into a bell housing 53 where it is connected to and rotates a flywheel having a ring gear 55 thereon. A gear housing 66, preferably a separate casting, is secured as by bolts 68 to the bell housing 53 at the front of engine 12. Gear housing 66 contains a pair of gears the first gear 70 is connected for rotation with crank shaft 52 by means of an input shaft 57 having a gear 59 thereon meshing with ring gear 55. A second pinion gear 72 in gear housing 66 is adapted to transmit the rotation of the first gear 70 at approximately 90for connection to thestarter and the generator components. Preferably, gears 70 and 72 are spiral bevel gears. Pinion gear 72 is fixed to a second shaft 74 extending upwardly from gear housing 66 through wall 56 at the top of engine compartment 14 and into secondary compartmentwhere it is adapted for connection to the starter and the generator 38 as will be hereinafter described. Gear housing 66 includes suitable support bearings 61 for the shafts upon which gears 70 and 72 are mounted. The gear housing may be filled with suitable gear lubricant in a conventional manner.

Gear housing 66, input shaft 57 and mounting flange 63, through which bolts 68 pass, may conveniently be adapted to fit and mount at the conventional starter mounting position on bell housing 53. Alternately, the housing 66 can be fixed directly to-the engine block and gear 70 connected directly to the flywheel.

Sealed bearing means 76 is provided in wall 56 to support shaft 74 and to prevent leakage of combustible gases from engine compartment 14 into the secondary compartment 20.

The upper end of shaft 74 in secondary compartment 20, includes a gear 82 adapted to mesh with a gear 86 located in starter 38. Gear 86 in starter 38 is included in a conventional Bendix starter drive, engageable and disengageable with gear 82. Gear 86, as known to those skilled in the art, will disengage from gear 82 upon starting of the internal combustion engine.

A pulley wheel 80 is also fixed to the upper end of shaft 74 and a corresponding pulley wheel 84 is fixed to the shaft of generator 30. A conventional V belt 83 connects the pulleys 80 and 84 whereby rotation of shaft 74 causes a corresponding rotation of the generator mechanism.

The generator and starter are fixed to a heavy metal mounting plate 88 by mounting flanges 90 and 92 and secured by bolts 94 so as to rigidly mount the generator and starter with respect to shaft 74. Shaft 74 may additionally be supported in compartment 20 by additional bearings (not shown) above and below gears 80 and 82 to rigidly support shaft 74 for rotation and prevent distortion of the shaft by torque forces when starter 38' is engaged. To compensate for the alignment of shaft'74 with respect to gear housing 66 and bearing 76, a conventional universal joint assembly 75 may be posi-' tioned along the length of shaft 74. The mounting plate 88 may also serve as a convenient mounting for voltage regulator 32 and a starter relay 100 suitably connected by means of wires (not shown) in a conventional manner to the battery, coil, generator, starter, and ignition circuits.

To additionally render the engine compartment explosion proof, blower 26 may have its associated motor 102 located in secondary compartment 20. Connection of motor 102 to fan 26 may be accomplished by means of a flexible shaft 103 or the motor shaft may pass through a conventional shaft seal similar to the seals associated with shaft 54 and 74 to prevent combustible fumes in engine compartment 14 from entering secondary compartment 20.

The secondary compartment 20 may be ventilated by louvers or be provided with a separate ventilating fan (not shown). The secondary compartment is located on or above the first open deck of the motorboat. The compartment should of course be water tight at the deck line and at least 6 to 7 inches above the deck line to negate any possibility of the components contained therein shorting out when the deck may be awash. Suitable drains (not shown) may be provided in the secondary compartment such that if inadvertently any water should enter the compartment it will drain therefrom. Having thus described the invention, those skilled in the -art will immediately appreciate the many advantages ofthe remotely located electrical components for an internal combustion engine in an inboard motorboat. The invention overcomes the drawbacks of the above mentioned prior art blocking circuits requiring ventilation of the engine compartment before operation of the engine can be accomplished. It will of course be appreciated that such blocking circuits can still be utilized in conjunction with the operation of the engine and in fact it is preferable to do so as an additional measure of safety. The present invention, however, removes the electrical components from the potentially hazardous environment which might cause sparks or arcing and result in an explosion. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that the remote location of the electrical components associated with an internal combustion engine could be operated by a system of hydraulic pumps or pulleys and belts running directly from the drive line so long as the electrical components are remotely located from the engine externally of the engine compartment.

The embodiments of the present invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

I. In a motorboat having an engine compartment enclosing an internal combustion engine, and starting, generating, and distributor means for controlling the application of electrical impulses to the spark plugs associated with the individual cylinders of the engine, the improvement comprising: said starting, generating and distributor means being remotely located from said engine externally of said compartment; and means operatively connecting said starting, generating, and distributor means to said engine whereby operation of said starter, generator and distributor means cannot cause an explosion within said compartment.

I 2. The-improvement of claim 1 wherein said means connecting said starting, generating, and distributor means includes shaft means connected to said engine extending therefrom through said engine compartment and to said starting, generating and distributor means.

3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said engine includes a crank shaft and further comprising gear means on said crank shaft and said shaft means connecting said starting means and said generating means to said engine.

4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein said engine further includes a cam shaft and wherein said shaft means includes a first and a second shaft extending from said engine compartment; said first shaft being connected to said gear means on said crank shaft and said starting and generating means and said second shaft having a second gear means fixed thereon engageable with corresponding gear means on said cam shaft for connecting said distributor means to said cam shaft for operation therewith.

5. The improvement of claim 4 wherein said engine includes a plurality of spark plugs operably associated with the individual cylinders of said engine; conductive means operably connecting said distributor means to said spark plugs; and further including shielding means enclosing said conducting means, said shielding means extending between said spark plugs and externally of said engine compartment.

6. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said engine includes a plurality of spark plugs operably associated with the individual cylinders of said engine; conductive means operably connecting said distributor means to said spark plugs; and further including shielding means enclosing said conducting means, said shielding means extending between said spark plugs and externally of said engine compartment.

7. In a motorboat having an engine compartment enclosing an internal combustion engine, said engine having a cam shaft, a plurality of spark plugs associated with the individual cylinders of said engine, and distributor means for controlling electrical impulses to said spark plugs in a timed relationship with operation of said cam shaft; the improvement comprising: said'distributor means being remotely located from said engine externally of said engine compartment; and connecting means operably connecting said distributor means through said compartment to said cam shaft on said engine for operation therewith.

8. The improvement of claim 7 wherein said connecting means includes a first shaft connected between said cam shaft of said engine and said distributor means.

9. The improvement of claim 7 and further including starting means and generating means for said engine; said starting and said generating means being remotely located from said engine externally of said compartment; and second shaft means extending from said engine externally of said compartment and operably connecting said starting and said generating means to said engine for operation therewith.

10. The improvement of claim 9 wherein said engine includes a crank shaft having gear means rotatable therewith; and gear means on said second shaft means meshing with said gear means rotatable with said crank shaft to thereby operatively connect said starting means and said generating means to said engine. 

1. In a motorboat having an engine compartment enclosing an internal combustion engine, and starting, generating, and distributor means for controlling the application of electrical impulses to the spark plugs associated with the individual cylinders of the engine, the improvement comprising: said starting, generating and distributor means being remotely located from said engine externally of said compartment; and means operatively connecting said starting, generating, and distributor means to said engine whereby operation of said starter, generator and distributor means cannot cause an explosion within said compartment.
 2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said means connecting said starting, generating, and distributor means includes shaft means connected to said engine extending therefrom through said engine compartment and to said starting, generating and distributor means.
 3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said engine includes a crank shaft and further comprising gear means on said crank shaft and said shaft means connecting said starting means and said generating means to said engine.
 4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein said engine further includes a cam shaft and wherein said shaft means includes a first and a second shaft extending from said engine compartment; said first shaft being connected to said gear means on said crank shaft and said starting and generating means and said second shaft having a second gear means fixed thereon engageable with corresponding gear means on said cam shaft for connecting said distributor means to said cam shaft for operation therewith.
 5. The improvement of claim 4 wherein said engine includes a plurality of spark plugs operably associated with the individual cylinders of said engine; conduCtive means operably connecting said distributor means to said spark plugs; and further including shielding means enclosing said conducting means, said shielding means extending between said spark plugs and externally of said engine compartment.
 6. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said engine includes a plurality of spark plugs operably associated with the individual cylinders of said engine; conductive means operably connecting said distributor means to said spark plugs; and further including shielding means enclosing said conducting means, said shielding means extending between said spark plugs and externally of said engine compartment.
 7. In a motorboat having an engine compartMent enclosing an internal combustion engine, said engine having a cam shaft, a plurality of spark plugs associated with the individual cylinders of said engine, and distributor means for controlling electrical impulses to said spark plugs in a timed relationship with operation of said cam shaft; the improvement comprising: said distributor means being remotely located from said engine externally of said engine compartment; and connecting means operably connecting said distributor means through said compartment to said cam shaft on said engine for operation therewith.
 8. The improvement of claim 7 wherein said connecting means includes a first shaft connected between said cam shaft of said engine and said distributor means.
 9. The improvement of claim 7 and further including starting means and generating means for said engine; said starting and said generating means being remotely located from said engine externally of said compartment; and second shaft means extending from said engine externally of said compartment and operably connecting said starting and said generating means to said engine for operation therewith.
 10. The improvement of claim 9 wherein said engine includes a crank shaft having gear means rotatable therewith; and gear means on said second shaft means meshing with said gear means rotatable with said crank shaft to thereby operatively connect said starting means and said generating means to said engine. 